Sacrificial Prayer

Father, teach me to seek You in prayer daily. Help me to understand that, forever and always, You want me to seek You. Amen

Galatians 5:1-2 “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma. “

There are certain parts of my daily prayer life that seem repetitive: the “routine” requests for forgiveness of my sins; daily appeals for a hedge of angels around my family; putting on the Ephesians 6 armor of God every morning. During prayer this morning I was reflecting on the routine monotony of my early time with God when He reminded me that it is not routine and monotonous, it is sacrificial. The priests in the tabernacle brought the sacrifices day and night, and the aroma from the Altar of Incense before the Holy of Holies rose from the fire morning and evening, continually the same, and continually necessary, because God said so. Then He reminded me that the Law of Moses and the very Tabernacle itself are pictures of Jesus and the Christian life. And because Jesus is the final sacrifice He is interceding for us day and night…continually.

Death prevented Tabernacle priests from continuing in office, but because Jesus lives forever He has a permanent priesthood. Therefore, “He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him because He always lives to intercede for them” (Hebrews 7:23-25).

“Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather Who was raised, Who is at the right hand of God, Who also intercedes for us” (Romans 8:34).

We ponder the monotony of church worship. We consider daily prayer to be boring and repetitive. We forget that these are fundamental to our relationship with God. Like a mother wakes her family for the day and tucks them in at night, building relationships by continual interaction, so God rises with us, walks through the day with us and tucks us in at night. He is present in our day through the “constantly identical”, “continually necessary” interactions that build the foundation of our relationship with Him.

Is a daily prayer routine hard for me?

Can I make the sacrifice, day and night, day after day, of prayer time with God?

If yes, then ask God to establish a continual, foundational relationship with you through prayer.